2024 New Zealand Food Awards
Golden Bay Fruit attended the New Zealand Food Awards gala dinner at Auckland’s Viaduct Events Centre along with more than 300 guests to celebrate the excellence and innovation of Aotearoa New Zealand’s food and beverage producers.
It’s one of the most anticipated events in the culinary calendar, where innovators and trailblazers who are helping shape the landscape of New Zealand’s food and beverage industry can come together to connect and celebrate.
Provost Professor Giselle Byrnes opened the evening by emphasising that the Awards symbolise excellence. “These awards inspire innovation and elevate standards in the pursuit of continuous improvement. The contributions of our entrants shape the future of food in Aotearoa New Zealand, helping to build a vibrant and sustainable industry that reflects culinary creativity and a passion for quality.
This year the judges combed through over 300 entries from 91 companies, so we were very proud to have two products named finalists!
We were delighted to be named finalists in the Beverage category for our pure apple juice product, congratulations to Love Muscle for taking home the award with their innovative Sparkling Pineapple Protein Water – an impressive combination of function and taste.
We are also incredibly excited that Sassy™ apples, won the Primary Sector Award. This exciting new variety was developed through natural plant breeding techniques over more than 12 years. Golden Bay Fruit, in partnership with Taylor Corp in Hawke’s Bay, is incredibly proud to hold the global licence for Sassy™ apples, which are fast becoming a crowd favourite!
The judges said Sassy™ apples stood out for their exceptional flavour, texture, and shelf life, along with its resistance to pests and diseases, which also reduces food waste. Head of Marketing Eleni Hogg thanked Plant and Food Research and Prevar in her acceptance speech who were responsible for the research, development and commercialisation of this apple with attitude.
The New Zealand Food Awards has always been a benchmark for recognizing innovation and sustainability, and the line up at this event was no exception. We left the event looking forward to the next grocery shop where we could try more of the finalist products! Congratulations to all the finalists and winners, and we look forward to continuing our contribution to shaping the future of food in New Zealand!